In the topic https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=47024.0 I explained that I bought the Anigrand XB-31 Raidmaster 1/144 kit, because I wanted the (included) XP-54 Swoose Goose 1/144.
But the XB-31 will be built also, of course, not sent to garbage. I don't like bombers but I will decrease its size into a baby plane, civilian or animal.
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3432_xp5456.jpg&hash=14f489abd72443e827481dadd6e2bd390a2a5b04)
At first I planned to focus on the XP-54 part, but I needed to check if the content was complete also on the XB-31 part. So here are the parts, all right:
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3448_b31b.jpg&hash=409b23850c5457e05f0c0900d0a329657d7032a1)
This is the project of making it a baby triplex-boomer:
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2Fbb31_anigrand_com.jpg&hash=ca38e656ba71ebaad1f23209418e585e14c12c33)
I wonder why the XB-31 had such a HUGE fin? :o
There's not that much area forward, and it's got quite a slim fuselage.
Just imagine that aircraft stalking you, with only the fin showing though the cloud layer!
Quote from: salt6 on October 30, 2019, 11:29:30 AM
Wingspan.
Indeed with such a large wingspan, and nothing else to add to the overal stability, it would require a large keel area to make it work.
Mind you as they used to say "if it does not look right, it will not fly right" and that beast does not look roght !
Quote from: JayBee on October 30, 2019, 12:40:49 PM
Mind you as they used to say "if it does not look right, it will not fly right"
To "look right" sounds for me as to "look realist", and I prefer dream or gentle madness, maybe more in a what-if spirit... ;)
Quote from: Tophe on October 30, 2019, 07:16:25 PM
Quote from: JayBee on October 30, 2019, 12:40:49 PM
Mind you as they used to say "if it does not look right, it will not fly right"
To "look right" sounds for me as to "look realist", and I prefer dream or gentle madness, maybe more in a what-if spirit... ;)
Proportion is all, and whatever one may say of your builds,
mon ami, they are proportionate - and I love that. :)
Quote from: Tophe on October 30, 2019, 07:16:25 PM
Quote from: JayBee on October 30, 2019, 12:40:49 PM
Mind you as they used to say "if it does not look right, it will not fly right"
To "look right" sounds for me as to "look realist", and I prefer dream or gentle madness, maybe more in a what-if spirit... ;)
I can't speak for JayBee but for me to "look right" means that looking at it gives me pleasure. I can't put it into words and I certainly can't quantify it objectively. Proportion is part of it but there are lots of other elements. It's not just "is it realistic" or "would it work".
OK, thanks.
For me: "looking right" (for an airplane) is "being twin-boom" ;D
This XB-31(+XP-54/5/6) was the first Anigrand kit I bought and I was surprised there is no sprues, but maybe that's normal for resin kits. I used for booms sprues from my Caudron C-174 Heller 1/72:
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3485_bb31.jpg&hash=43587591fd58932f1b7a4c7e6f16d390502bb810)
Here are the parts I am going to use, truncating the fuselage after the wing, and truncating the wings out of the engines (using only external parts here, into a glider). The booms will be oblique into a layout like \!/
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3492_bb31.jpg&hash=7f51302e7e9dd92ec262b41828ca29f2e5b7eb83)
That's pretty wild stuff Tophe !
Quote from: Captain Canada on November 12, 2019, 06:36:09 PM
That's pretty wild stuff Tophe !
I don't think Tophe does 'UN-wild' stuff, does he? ;D ;)
"wild" seems to mean "uncontrolled" and yes, all of us what-ifers are not controlled by Historians (but we are a little controlled by moderators, hehehe ;D )...
And the butcher came :-\ to cut the huge XB-31 model into 2 little airplanes:
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3493_bb31.jpg&hash=af2bac3c7b46514fcb893afec086b203302f0584)
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3494_bb31.jpg&hash=10efc8dd2115c4f4842f6e0952200a5903e5c157)
For more than one week, I am adding putty, layer by layer, slowly. There is the cockpits big hole to fill, as I have not used the transparent part for the two canopies side by side (1/144), but this will be a saliplane like canopy of single seater, 1/72 or 1/48...
Below is the basis and a simplified view of the project:
(https://i.imgur.com/8ofFHwH.jpg)
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2Fxb31-modified.jpg&hash=d57921e1e2775eeb345eaca1c0775a6896c1c412)
Radical surgery is your thing ;)
Looks great :thumbsup:
Thanks!
Here is the current aspect:
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3496_bb31.jpg&hash=de198daf77b7c962b3bd71ecf1a6c3801b9d55e6)
There was no tail for the 4-engined part but I will use the wing tips from the XP-54: one as fin, the other as port tailplane (no starboard tailplane, as I love asymmetry) ;D
Sanding then putty again...
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3497_bb31.jpg&hash=45191e87eb1b85d934ca54497d49a9b667c39121)
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3502_bb31.jpg&hash=1f504d651ca9a7a3032757aa2f4782c2912f02e7)
Sanding goes on, and adding putty again (from another tube/provider). This is not fun but, providing a smile, I had a new idea for the missing tail: I will use the small remaining half wings of the XP-55 & 56, as big V-tail. The tiny wing tips of the XP-54 may either be fins on the wing (between engines, not as winglets I think) or be horizontal tailplanes in addition to the V-tail, like on a F-18 more or less.
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3504_bb31.jpg&hash=75b06dadd043b49a510066fba225843fb614cc13)
Quote from: PR19_Kit on November 13, 2019, 04:01:43 AM
Quote from: Captain Canada on November 12, 2019, 06:36:09 PM
That's pretty wild stuff Tophe !
I don't think Tophe does 'UN-wild' stuff, does he? ;D ;)
;D ;D ;D
looking right is indeed giving pleasure to look at : and there are different kinds of pleasure, some not related to the laws of aerodynamics
in this case, it is looking bold, as always with Tophe's creation ! :thumbsup:
Thanks!
The BB-31A sub-part is well advanced: <_<
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3505_bb31.jpg&hash=945f5deb8b2a59c5a3009ba11e642d96f7cea69f)
(the other plane, BB-31B, is in stand-by currently) :unsure:
The BB-31A sub-part is almost ready for paint, just the (pusher) propeller blades to add:
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3509_bb31.jpg&hash=0cdf5c5e62c2eae8dab5f9001c9ebd31b809b183)
The project of making it a glider is cancelled, as I have enough blades for the 2 sub-parts, 4+1 engines.
I like it! :)
Thank you! ;)
Now I have painted the underside of the BB-31A while the BB-31B, not finished, is silently waiting... <_<
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3510_bb31.jpg&hash=ab40261f20c269108477f00f653482e64022c6b7)
The propeller blades have been glued and the upper side of the BB-31A is started to paint:
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3512_bb31a.jpg&hash=d322622ffa0ec6c357ef90b563da93b937f88084)
Now that's got quite a neat look about it :thumbsup:
Thank you! ;D
This evening, the BB-31A model is finished: <_<
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3515_bb31a.jpg&hash=c6ae8316c9d966e70c1a97c81b34256b1bf48c5e)
The canopy size, at last, makes it a 1/48 model (from the 1/144 source, ahem). :-\
More pictures tomorrow at daylight. :unsure:
That looks really cool Tophe, I am liking it :thumbsup:
Chris
Thank you!
It is only 4 am and there is no daylight yet here, but a mirror copy provides a derivative:
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3515_bb31x2.jpg&hash=d90e16fa232632f6080b92d4d62b58468c83f96b)
Later I will show views of the model from 4 angles, featuring the \!/ tail...
Here are the 4 main slanting views of this abnormal plane:
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3523_bb31a_x4.jpg&hash=a3ea1f9a21be106447e1826fa23a9459180d1538)
Superbly inspired
(Normality, anyway, is not much our interest)
Thanks!
This was one of the very rare times I built a high wing plane (hiding the old fuselage/wing junction without too much work), and to make it stand (without fragile landing gears that I dislike), uh...
Under the wings are special devices, circular with beige colour of unknown matter, it is top secret (which is rare for a civilian aircraft)...
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3525_bb31a.jpg&hash=d13799adfd913c5b847f0679a361558a29942233)
With the other part of the XB-31, the BB-31B is taking shape: <_<
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3524_bb31b.jpg&hash=ac9bec06101687901fb38e37b634b2c3ca521b2e)
Painting the underside of the BB-31B:
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3544_bb31b.jpg&hash=8b5730402efc661abd57cd167452a419607b19eb)
Painting the other side, the BB-31B is almost finished: <_<
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3545_bb-31b.jpg&hash=70923a8fe92d24e9956b3fb24d1e21f0c483b0d3)
The BB-31B model is finished also now;
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3548_bb31b.jpg&hash=cd1709b5e584eda271e6e404ddd0d4b9c4f185f6)
I will make more pictures tomorrow.
Very cool Tophe ! Love the look of the 31B !
Thanks!
This is not twin-boom alas but a little asymmetric: the V-tail is made by one half-wing of XP-55 Ascender and one half-wing of XP-56 Black Bullet (that were in the same kit).
Very inventive as always : the vertical fins on top of the wings particularly
Thanks again!
Today was a rainy day with dark clouds, almost no (day)light, I made a single picture with flash light:
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3549_bb41b.jpg&hash=97f2681d2d572fe723f0a938003193c01bed65be)
And a mirror copy of course, to become a little twin-boom:
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3549_bb41b-x2.jpg&hash=3499692ef59a29e29c4b9c2cf5432e2c232430fb)
Here is the usual 4-angles view of mine, for the BB-31B:
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3554_bb31b_x4.jpg&hash=5d35cefc7715707ffd7f6350f28079bc303530d2)
From the 1/144th XB-31 plane I made two 1/48th planes, 1 twin-boom and 1 slightly asymmetric. It was fun.
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3564_bb31a%26amp%3Bb.jpg&hash=d16d73ad16eb387c3164932f2a43521033c2e409)
I do like those Tophe :thumbsup:
Thanks!
And Google showed me what I should have built if I weren't a what-ifer... ;)
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristofmeunier.fr%2FIMG_3565_bb31ab_igr.jpg&hash=34c0053f18f6a9bc709d4129eb3bb88ee517c0cb)
Yours are more innovative Tophe, but that's JUST what we'd expect from you anyway. :thumbsup: